Filipino families are fertile ground for religious life vocations. But vocation directors need to understand them to be effective ministers. What every vocation director should know about Filipino families By Sister Myrna Tordillo, “All vocations make their first steps in the family.” — M.S.C.S. Sister Myrna Tor- LIKE TO THINK OF MY FAMILY as a seedbed for my vocation. dillo, M.S.C.S. is a Prayer was part of the rhythm of daily life for us. As a child grow- member of the Mis- ing up in the in the late 60s, my mother would wake us sionary Sisters of St. at dawn to pray the . I recall sluggishly mumbling the prayers Charles Borromeo- Scalabrinians. She is with eyes closed. Every day we would also say the at 6 the assistant director p.m. as a family. The highlight of our worship, though, was going to of the Secretariat of onI Sundays together as a family. Cultural Diversity in Many things have changed in the Philippines over the years, includ- the /Asian and Pacific Island Af- fairs at the United States Conference of ing the cultural landscape, and today modern media and technology have Catholic (USCCB) in Washington, greatly penetrated the fabric of Filipino daily life, and secularization is get- D.C. She has worked at the USCCB for ting more pervasive. However religious practice there still shows signs of seven years in the Pastoral Care of Mi- great vitality, and that vitality spills over into the Filipino American church grants, Refugees and Travelers. and into Filipino American vocations to religious life. Because of their great zeal for the faith, Asian Catholics (

20 | HORIZON | Fall 2015 Tordillo | Filipino Families being the largest sector of this group) have a dispro- church, they are also an important and enthusiastic part portionately large presence in U.S. religious life. They of the U.S. church. A study commissioned by the Sec- only account for 2.6 percent of U.S. Catholics. But the retariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church (part of the 2009 NRVC-CARA study of newer members in the U.S. U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Conference) shows that among showed that Asians were 14 percent of all newer voca- Asian and Pacific Island Catholics in the U.S., roughly 51 tions, a percentage has slowly risen in recent years. to 65 percent are Filipino (depending on which data is What then, should vocation directors know about analyzed). And out of 3.4 million Filipino Americans, 2.2 these Filipino families that are the seedbed for many of million are Catholics. These 2.2 million Catholics have these vocations? I offer here some considerations for very distinct cultural and faith patterns. vocation ministers who want to better understand and work with Filipino American Catholics. Key cultural and faith patterns The Filipino diaspora It must be noted here that while first generation Filipino Americans are familiar with the fol- One begins to understand Filipino lowing cultural patterns, the second American families by exploring where and subsequent generations of Filipino they’ve come from. The Philippines is Much in the cultural Americans may not be aware of or ac- one of only two predominantly Chris- values of the Filipinos customed to these unless they are ex- tian countries in (the other being can be enriched by the posed to, immersed in, or taught about East Timor), and it is ranked third in gospel and, therefore, can these cultural values. the world for the largest Catholic popu- contribute to meaningful Much in the cultural values of the lation, according to the Pew Research and mature Christian Filipinos can be enriched by the gospel Center. About eight-in-ten Filipinos living, including life as a and, therefore, can contribute to mean- (81 percent) are Catholic. sister, , or . ingful and mature Christian living, in- The number of Filipinos in dias- cluding life as a sister, brother, or priest. pora is roughly 11 percent of the over- all Philippines population. That means Family Orientation—Filipinos over 10 million Filipinos live outside of their home coun- express genuine love for the family. They are family-ori- try, either on a regular, temporary, or irregular basis, and ented, and this goes beyond the immediate family circle the U.S. is the top country of destination, followed by of parents and siblings to the extended family of aunts, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, according uncles, cousins, grandparents, and godparents, among to 2013 figures from the Commission on Filipinos Over- others. Deep love for the family motivates countless Fili- seas. pinos to sacrifice themselves for the good of the other Cardinal , of , members. Family solidarity makes Filipino Christians re- on several occasions has highlighted the exodus experi- late easily to (Anak ng Diyos Ama, Son of God the ence of Filipinos to other parts of the world in search of Father), as a brother (kapatid) who in prayer they can better economic opportunities. In a lecture at The Cath- easily turn to in times of difficulty and problems. olic University of America which I attended last March, the cardinal mentioned he was invited to celebrate Mass Respect for elders—Respect for elders is embedded at the Duomo, Milan’s iconic in Italy. He re- in the Filipino culture. Gestures and language convey re- counted that the cathedral was packed with over 9,000 spect for parents, grandparents, tiya/tiyo (aunts/uncles), Filipino workers, and even the plaza and surrounding older cousins, friends, and . (hand in Span- streets were overflowing with Filipinos. Tagle recalled ish), is a gesture of bowing slightly and placing gently the that the vicar for migrants whispered to him, “Behold right hand of an elder to one’s forehead. The word Po is the future of the church in Milan!” But he respectfully used to addressed elders to show great respect. corrected the vicar: “Monsignor, they are not the future of the church. They are the present of the church in Meal orientation—Filipinos are meal-oriented and Milan.” Thus, Tagle added, “the migrants had found not love to celebrate any event with a special meal. The Taga- only jobs, but a mission.” log term for these occasions is salu-salo kainan. Filipinos While Filipino families are prominent in the Italian are known to be gracious hosts, and even with unexpect-

Tordillo | Filipino Families Fall 2015 | HORIZON | 21 ed guests, they try to offer the best of what they have. An in divine providence that will engender a Christian sense example of this custom can be seen in the celebration of of peace and serenity in adversity. the —the Masses during Advent. Shame or Hiya—The sense of shame encompassed In most U.S. that celebrate Simbang Gabi, after in the value of hiya is a potent means of safeguarding Mass there is food for everybody prepared by the local individual morals and ethics within Philippine society. Filipino organizers. It is common to hear Filipinos remark, nakakahiya, (it Gratitude or Utang na Loob—This value expresses is shameful) when they try to appraise behavior and a person’s deep sense of gratitude for help extended. actions that might lead to moral sanctions in society. Utang na loob implies a Grounded on a Catholic understanding, hiya can be ap- debt that can never be plied to the workings of sin and grace in our lives. Thus repaid, but can only be the discovery of one’s uniqueness and creative powers Surely growing up with reciprocated in a sacrifi- can help a person overcome the inhibitions and limita- community-minded cial manner on the part tions of hiya. values, such as Pakikisama of the one returning the Camaraderie (Pakikisama) and Community spir- and Bayanihan, gives a favor. In the Christian it (Bayanihan)—These are among the cluster of social person a good foundation sense, utang na loob acceptance values. The thrust of these values is on work- can be a value and an for living in a religious ing together toward the common good. Pakikisama, in experience of undying community. the sense of getting along with others, fosters closeness. gratitude to Jesus who, It is seen not only as trying to be nice in the presence of out of sheer love, died others. It also implies truthfulness and openness in relat- on the cross to redeem ing to others. all from sin. This in TheBayanihan spirit promotes cooperation among return demands a reciprocity from Christians by means members of the community and has been given much of a sacrificial love, that is, to love God and neighbor in emphasis in the thrust towards nation-building. Both faith and action. values enhance the formation of a civic conscience which supports social justice. Surely growing up with these Self-reliance or Pagsasarili—The Filipino attribute community-minded values gives a person a good foun- of self-reliance addresses the development of self-worth dation for living in a religious community. and integrity of a person. This personalism of Filipinos is a stimulus to relate to others and to the world on a per- Thus Filipino cultural values hold great potential sonal basis. It is rooted in the recognition of the dignity for growth and development in the formation of ma- of the human being. Pagsasarili in its Christian meaning ture Christians. These values, when properly oriented is grounded in the truth of the dignity of the baptized as and directed, will deepen authentic Christian living in adopted children of God. They are then related directly a uniquely Filipino way. They include values that lend to God our Father, to Christ our Redeemer, and to the themselves to religious life, emphasizing gratitude to Holy Spirit indwelling within us. God and a commitment to a positive common life. However, pagsasarili when it is reduced to individu- alism can swing to the extreme of self-centeredness, which has harmful effects for national and Christian Filipino families and popular religiosity unity. Hence genuine personalism is necessary. In the United States, as in their home country, the reli- Come what may, Bahala Na—Roughly translated, giosity of Filipinos is so rich in images of Christ and the bahala na means “come what may.” Despite often being Blessed Virgin Mary that it never fails to amaze non-Fili- viewed as a fatalistic resignation, it can be seen positively pinos. From the image of the Infant Jesus ( Nino), to as an attitude of courage in taking risks and of inspired the of Quiapo, to Our Lady of Antipolo fidelity when a person is put in a difficult situation. In (also known as Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage), Fil- the Christian perspective, bahala na is an attitude of ipino Catholics portray and venerate Christ and express trust, leaving everything in God’s hands when all human their devotion to Mary in unique and colorful ways. efforts are exhausted in the midst of suffering, pain, or According to the Catechism for Filipino Catholics, loss. Hence bahala na can ground genuine faith and trust “A typical approach to Jesus Christ is with and through

22 | HORIZON | Fall 2015 Tordillo | Filipino Families Celebrating special events with food is important to Filipino American families. Serving a meal after a Simbang Gabi novena Mass during Advent are the members of the Fil Am Association of St. Anne’s in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Mary. Devotion to Mary has always been intimately in- Filipino Archdiocesan Council forms committees a year tertwined with Christ.” For Filipinos Mary, the mother of in advance to prepare for the joint September feasts of Jesus, is their spiritual mother, and so she is the center of these two saints. About 2,000 people attend the celebra- the family for Catholic Filipinos. tion, with Mass as the highlight, followed by cultural pre- In the annual pilgrimage to Our Lady of Antipolo sentations, and of course, food for everybody! held during the month of June, Filipino devotees flock to the Basilica of the National of the Immaculate Filipinos an important part of U.S. church Conception in Washington. Prior to Mass, the program includes a wherein devotees carry many im- As Filipinos have taken root in the United States, they ages of Mary, such as Our Lady of the Barangay, Our have begun to take on leadership roles in the American Lady of Peñafrancia, Our Lady of Antipolo, Our Lady of church. In 2004 the first U.S. of Filipino descent Lourdes, and others. Close to 2,000 pilgrims—including was appointed: Bishop Oscar Azarcon Solis, auxiliary families, friends, members of prayer groups, religious bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. In that role, organizations, and —attend this annual he was the first chairman in 2008 of the United States pilgrimage. Conference of Catholic Bishops Subcommittee on Asian The month of May is traditionally dedicated to and Pacific Island Affairs. This group of American bish- Mary, and for Filipino American families the Flores de ops exists “to affirm the and contributions of Asian Mayo (Flowers of May) is a way to honor Mary in a spe- and Pacific Island Catholics and to provide more oppor- cial way. A statue of Mary is crowned by a child dressed tunities for Asian and Pacific Island Catholics to engage in white in the presence of other white clad children who in the life of the church and help shape its evangelizing bring flowers to offer to Mary. This popular devotion in mission.” the parish is attended mostly by family members of the Over 800 Filipino priests minister in the U.S. today, children. and they have organized the National Assembly of Fili- The feasts of the Filipino saints and pino Priests-USA to address their own needs. In addi- are widely celebrated by many Filipino tion men and women religious of Filipino ancestry are families in the U.S. In the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the serving the U.S. , but no data is available

Tordillo | Filipino Families Fall 2015 | HORIZON | 23 The American bishops have turned their attention toward Filipinos and other Asian members of their flock.

RECOMMENDED READING They commissioned the “National Study of Asian and Pacific Island Catholics in the U.S.,” which was con- Bamboo Bridge Across the Pacific: Reaching Out to Filipino- ducted by a team of social scientists and was released in American Catholics, by Loreto Gonzales and Valencia Rose, August 2015, revealing that Filipino families are actively Filipino Pastoral Ministry, 2004 engaged with their Catholic faith. A few highlights:

Building Intercultural Competence for Ministers, Committee on • Filipinos constitute the largest ethnic grouping Cultural Diversity in the Church, United States Conference among all U.S. Asian Catholics. of Catholic Bishops, 2012 • Even though just over half of Asian Catholics in the U.S. said their parishes do not host pro- Faith, Family, and Filipino American Community Life, by Stephen Cherry, Rutgers University Press, 2014 grams focused on respondent ethnicity, Filipinos were most likely to say that, yes, their parish has Filipino Thought, by Leonardo Mercado, Logos Publications, hosted a Filipino program. 2000 • Filipino Catholics are also more inclined than “Incorporating cultural diversity in religious life,” a study for Catholics overall to indicate that the Vatican’s the National Religious Vocation Conference by the Center authority (69 percent) and celibate male clergy for Applied Research in the Apostolate. A summary, video, (61 percent) are “very important.” and full report are at nrvc.net/publications. • While Filipinos are often also minorities in Inculturation and Filipino , by Leonardo Mercado, their parishes, they tend to have larger numbers Divine Word Publications, 1992 and thus are a more visible and often vocal part of their parishes. “Who is the Filipino Catholic?” Catechism for Filipino Catho- lics, Word and Life Publications, 1997 (Note: copies of this catechism are posted online.) Family concerns to be aware of At the same time that Filipino Catholics in the U.S. are “Understanding and working with Filipino candidates,” by Sister Lovina Pammit, HORIZON, Fall 2011 noticeably devout, the United States, like most Western societies, is increasingly becoming secularized. This poses a threat to all Christian families, including Filipino American Catholic families. Filipino Americans need to continue to strengthen the faith in their homes and be informal schools of catechesis within the family. Reli- about their estimated numbers. Many of those who have gious communities can support these efforts by reaching come from the Philippines have been assigned by their out to young people and their families. major superiors to be missionaries in the U.S., serving in For their part vocation directors will want to min- a variety of ministries. What we see is a reverse mission- ister with a sensitivity about Filipino family dynamics. ary trend because the American church is now a receiv- The strong family orientation of Filipinos and their ing church for international pastoral ministers. emphasis on respect for elders suggest that any Filipino The growth in the numbers of Filipino American discerning the priesthood or consecrated life may poten- priests and their “increased recognition” in the church tially consult family members in the discernment pro- is significant, social scientist Stephen Cherry has writ- cess. Thus it bodes well for vocation directors to be open ten in his book Faith, Family, and American Filipino Life to communicating with the family whenever appropriate. (Rutgers University Press, 2014). But he also says schol- However, they also want to keep in mind that if cultural ars need to explore what Filipino “presence may mean norms are not instilled among second generation Fili- to the reshaping of American Catholicism.” He adds that pino Americans, the communication dynamic could be with the significant number of Filipino priests and the different from what is presented in this article. increase in lay leadership roles, “Filipino immigrants are At a very pragmatic level vocation directors should a mounting force within American Catholicism.” be aware that Filipino American families give priority

24 | HORIZON | Fall 2015 Tordillo | Filipino Families the center For the study oF consecrated liFe spring symposium 2016

February 5–6, 2016 Keynote speaKer: Fr. timothy radcliFFe, op and others! www.ctu.edu/consecratedlife

to the education of children. For college graduates, edu- modate the throngs of Filipinos who packed the church cational debt could be an issue for Filipino Americans and filled the grounds outside. In the Philippines it is not considering a vocation to the priesthood or religious unusual for Mass to be celebrated in big shopping malls life. on Sundays. These many expres- •• •• sions of faith during a Last December, I went to the Philippines for a fam- single visit show that reli- It bodes well for vocation ily visit and a bit of work. The Philippines is composed gious fervor and practice directors to be open of 7,107 islands, and one of those is the island of Leyte still have great vitality to communicating with where my mom and other family members live. From among young and old Filipino families whenever the airport in Cebu Island, I had to take a ship to Leyte. Filipino Catholics. As appropriate. I was thrilled because the ship had a chapel with the these families move to crucifix and images of the Santo Nino and Our Lady of the U.S., they bring this Lourdes. Then at 3 p.m., from the ship’s public address intense Catholic practice system, the chaplet could be heard every- with them, making them where. I also flew to another island in the southern tip of fertile ground for religious life vocations. Certainly these the Philippines during Advent and had the opportunity patterns can change in second and third generations, to attend Simbang Gabi Mass for a couple of days. The but vocation directors in the U.S. still do well to begin cathedral in Davao City had three Masses a day for nine understanding and reaching out to Filipinos and their consecutive days during the Simbang Gabi just to accom- families. n

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